Chitra is a 23-year-old graduate who originally began her undergraduate studies as a biomedical engineering major on the pre-med track. She switched to biological engineering, but she struggled with her math classes, and her GPA suffered as a result. Graduating with a 2.5 GPA, Chitra decided to focus on getting into law school instead of medical school. Her 155 LSAT score put her smack dab in the middle of test takers, so she knew she would need some help to make her stand out.
“My parents have this philosophy,” Chitra said. “If you don’t think you’re good enough, trust the professionals to do it.” She discovered The Art of Applying® through a Facebook friend. She scheduled her Breakthrough Call, which turned out to be more than she ever expected.
Chitra shared this about her Breakthrough Call experience, “I assumed [the Breakthrough Call] was like an interview or some kind of onboarding call. I didn’t actually think that it would be such a deep dive into everything that I was thinking at the moment, and everything that I wanted to be doing… When I did that call with you guys, who are professionals and have this excellent reputation, I was just like, ‘Okay, I have someone on my side that’s pulling for me now that wasn’t there before.’”
Chitra appreciated the encouragement and feedback that her Consultant gave her as she worked on her law school application materials during the Application Accelerator® program. She never felt demeaned or overly critiqued. Chitra said about her Application Accelerator® experience,“I always felt encouraged and filled with positive feedback and useful criticism that I could incorporate into my essays.”
Chitra had her own advice for grad school applicants who have struggled with choosing majors or found themselves with a lower than expected undergrad GPA. “No one is going to figure out what their exact perfect major is on the first shot… I figured out that it wasn’t impossible to meet the rest of my goals, even though I had some hiccups along the way. The Art of Applying® was a big part of that.”
Chitra wants others to know that The Art of Applying® is here to help them achieve their law school dreams, even if they have some lingering doubts. “I dealt with a lot of doubt and a lot of uncertainty because of that low GPA and that average LSAT score. It’s not impossible. If you want to go to law school, you may not get into the top law school there is, but you will still get into law school… If you’re feeling like you’re on your own, that’s when you ask for help. [The Art of Applying®] are professionals; they will help. That’s their job.”
Start Date: August 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
- Age: 23
- GPA: 2.5
- LSAT: 155
- Major: Biological Engineering
Acceptances
- Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
- UIC John Marshall Law School
- DePaul University College of Law
Scholarship
- $30,000 merit award, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
- $35,000 annual scholarship, DePaul University College of Law
Notable Quotes
What made Chitra reach out to The Art of Applying® instead of applying to law schools on her own:
“My parents have this philosophy: ‘If you don’t think you’re good enough, trust the professionals to do it.’”
What she expected from the Breakthrough Call, and what actually happened:
“It was nothing like I expected it to be. I assumed it was like an interview or some kind of onboarding call. I didn’t actually think that it would be such a deep dive into everything that I was thinking at the moment, and everything that I wanted to be doing.”
How she felt before and after her Breakthrough Call:
“I was feeling very helpless [before the Breakthrough Call] … about all the applications for law school. I’d never done anything like that before. I just didn’t know where to start. So, when I did that call with you guys who are professionals and have this excellent reputation, I was just like, ‘Okay, I have someone on my side that’s pulling for me now, that wasn’t there before.’”
How she felt about making the investment in The Art of Applying®, and how she paid for it:
“There was some fear about the large investment… I got help from my parents because they paid for my education and they plan to pay for my law school if I didn’t get scholarships… So it was definitely a decision I wanted them to weigh in on because they consider me a good investment. So if I’m making investments in a program… they want to be a part of that.”
What she liked best about working with her Consultant, and what surprised her the most:
“My Consultant was awesome. … She was extremely accommodating, kind and really sweet. … I want everyone to work with her. She was very good with her advice. I never felt insulted, overly critiqued or demeaned in any way. I always felt encouraged, filled with positive feedback and useful criticism that I could incorporate into my essays, my resume or whatever I was turning in and whenever I was turning it in. She was also the most understanding person about the fact that there was a lot going on, and I wasn’t meeting the deadlines I originally set for myself.”
On her progress on her essays before working with The Art of Applying®, and how her progress changed she began working with us:
“I really liked the ideas that my Consultant gave me, which included full transparency, and just putting down the reasons for things being the way they were… A lot of those essays reflected on the past five years. That worked in my favor because I pretty much just spelled out everything I’ve ever wanted to write down about myself and then some.
What she would say to applicants who are pre-med students or had low GPAs or low test scores:
“No one is going to figure out what their exact perfect major is on the first shot. I thought I had it all figured out and it turns out I didn’t… But, I figured out it wasn’t impossible to meet the rest of my goals… The Art of Applying® was a big part of that. I was encouraged to pursue far more ambitious goals than I had set up for myself, because my GPA was low, and my LSAT score was not too hot. I definitely was feeling extremely incapable… But, I realized I could probably be better at some other professions. So I just looked for what might fit me better and I got some encouragement from [The Art of Applying®] and then I just applied.”
On why she encourages applicants who are unsure whether they can get into law school or who are considering applying on their own to work with The Art of Applying® instead: “I dealt with a lot of doubt and uncertainty because of that low GPA and average LSAT score. It’s not impossible. If you want to go to law school, you may not get into the top law school there is, but you will still get into law school. That means you’re one step closer to being a lawyer and doing what you want to do… As far as investing in the program… If you’re feeling like you’re on your own, that’s when you ask for help. [The Art of Applying®] are professionals, they will help. That’s their job.”
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